Anti-prostitution efforts in Arlington netted 59 arrests before and on day of Super Bowl

Fifty-nine people were arrested on prostitution-related charges in Arlington during the lead-up to and on the day of the Super Bowl.

Thirteen of them were visitors here for the game, three men were arrested on outstanding warrants and are believed to be pimps, and one faces a human-trafficking charge.

None of the arrests involved juveniles.

Before the game, Arlington police launched several covert enforcement operations and a message campaign to target an expected rise in prostitution surrounding the Super Bowl.

The campaign, which included news articles and billboards, prompted some people to warn online that Arlington was cracking down on prostitution and was reaching out to help potential victims of human trafficking.

Among the covert initiatives, which took place between Jan. 27 and Feb. 6, was the “You Never Know” campaign, in which officers responded to online escort ads and advertised online for johns to meet them. The intention was to emphasize that prostitutes and their customers “never know” if the person they are meeting is an undercover officer.

Officers also contacted those posting possible escort ads to warn them that police were targeting prostitution-related offenses. And police provided human-trafficking rescue information.

Arlington police worked in conjunction with other enforcement agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigation and the Texas attorney general’s office.

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